Site selective response of cationic dopants in ZnO nanomaterials: Optical, dielectric and magnetic behaviors

Abstract

Modulations of dielectric response and the investigation of magnetic property due to the percentage variation (3, 5 and 7 wt%) of chromium ion doping in 5 wt% yttrium doped-ZnO nanomaterials are considered in this report. The rods like Cr3+ and Y3+co-doped ZnO nanomaterials with polycrystalline single phase of wurtzite lattice structure are prepared by hydrothermal synthesis route. Frequency and temperature dependent dielectric response of all the co-doped ZnO nanomaterials were investigated in this report and the observation suggests that the dielectric permittivity of these co-doped ZnO nanomaterials can be modulated based on the site selectivity of the cationic dopants like Cr3+ or Y3+in between the lattice sites and the interstitial sites inside the host ZnO lattice structure. In addition, low temperature (10 K) magnetic ordering with ‘S’ shape hysteresis loop are observed. The hysteresis curve has been fitted and contribution of each magnetic phase (paramagnetic and ferromagnetic) has been extracted. This report is not only helpful to understand the modulation of dielectric response of ZnO like semiconducting materials depending on site selectivity of the cationic dopants inside the lattice structure of ZnO but also explore the underlying physics of DMS system consisting of multiple magnetic phases. This study shows that the semiconductors based dielectric materials are more effective for tailor made applications in various dielectric devices.